Friday, August 19, 2005

Microsoft is close to patenting a technology that, for all intents and purposes, makes a Tivo out of your digital media player.

The technology in question, patent application number 20030221541, was filed in May of 2002 and "relates generally to systems and methodologies that facilitate generation of playlists," according to a summary of the invention patent. "It reduces effort and time required to generate a playlist that meets or is similar to desired characteristics or features by automatically generating a playlist."

In other words, the technology can create autogenerated playlists of various types of media based on usage patterns, with no intervention from the user. So if 1970s funk music is your thing, a portable MP3 player would generate such playlists on your behalf.

The patent has been the focus on media reports this week that suggest a connection between a digital media patent filed months later by Apple.

In truth, the patents in question might not even be directly related ... news articles suggested that Microsoft's patent surrounds the iconic iPod clickwheel. But its patent has to do more with the organization and delivery of digital media items.